


Ghost Leaders AU Shenanigans

by Little_Plants_Love



Category: Henry Stickmin Series (Video Games)
Genre: Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Multi, Stabbing, author doesn't know how to tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:34:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29761107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Plants_Love/pseuds/Little_Plants_Love
Summary: What happens when you take a sleep-deprived Reginald and add in seven ghosts of long-dead leaders? Shenanigans, that's what.
Relationships: Randy Radman/Sir Wilford IV, Reginald Copperbottom/Right Hand Man
Kudos: 26





	1. Reminiscing

“Life owes us nothing but the promise of being interesting. Randy sure as hell helped life out in that regard, though.” Wilford half-laughed, wiping a tear from his eye as he recalled his late lover. “Even before he became leader, he was… loud, always filled with so much energy, so much happiness. Becoming leader changed that, but didn’t completely get rid of it- he was less reckless physically, but putting him in charge of finances wasn’t ever a good idea. He nearly drove us bankrupt. As you’d expect, many people weren’t happy about that, and they gave him a choice to step down or be killed. He stepped down- gladly, in fact- but apparently it wasn’t enough for someone.”

Wilford paused, wishing now more than ever that it was possible for a ghost to smoke a cigar. Reginald’s wide-eyed- and very much alive- gaze on him wasn’t quite helping with that feeling, but he couldn’t blame the guy. “...I wasn’t in the room. I was getting things settled, finishing the paperwork and such that came with a peaceful switching of leaders. I came back, and, well… you’ve seen the state he's in. The bastard had the audacity to leave the knife in his back.” He fell silent after that, getting up and moving to walk out of the room. “We still don’t know who did it. They were sneaky about it, and Randy didn’t get to see their face. As soon as the son of a bitch is found out, I’m personally doing something about them.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Do you want to know what crime got me into the clan?” Randy asked out of the blue one day, hovering over Reginald’s shoulder as the living man drove the airship. The cockpit was empty save for Right, who was slumped over asleep in his chair- perfect for carrying on a longer conversation like this. 

“Sure, if you want to tell.” Reginald glanced over his shoulder at the ghost, quickly re-focusing his attention out of the large window in front of him. Randy shifted around, thinking about the best way to go about this, before beginning to speak.

“Simple answer? Making fake IDs. Long answer, I got traced back to a bunch of fake IDs and was fleeing from the police. Reynaldo approached me to recruit me and I decked him in the nose. He was unamused, but impressed, yaknow? I'd managed to hit him hard enough to hurt.” Randy made a vague motion with his hand as he explained, crossing his arms and resting his chin on them. His expression was thoughtful and, in the light of the full moon shining through the window, he looked almost like he had in life- save for the fact that he was floating a good four feet off the ground, stomach-down.

“I figured it’d be something like that.” Reginald snorted, keeping his voice low so as to not wake Right. “Something to do with partying, at least. I haven’t heard much about how you were as a leader except from Wilford and yourself, since you weren’t leader for long at all after I joined- but I assumed that much just looking at your portrait.” Randy pressed a hand to his chest and made a hurt noise, followed by laughter.

“That’s fair. I was wearing these glasses and doing finger guns- not to even mention how I was dressed. I tried to make my first as accurate as possible, yaknow? Only felt fair to give people a warning. That, and it was easy to get dressed when everyone expected me to look like I picked my clothes out of a bag of Skittles.” Randy laughed, lounging back as if he were sitting in a chair- still floating a good few feet in the air. “It was fun. Didn’t have to stress about looking presentable- which was great, one less thing to stress about, yaknow.”

“Yeah. I know not caring would save me a good few hours in the mornings, but I can’t bring myself to not care.” Reginald sighed, letting his voice slip into a more casual tone as he relaxed back into the chair- not taking his hands off the steering stick thing, of course. 

“I get that. You have to pick and choose what you care about, or else you run yourself thin trying to care too much for too many things.” Randy looked over at Reginald as he spoke, his tone holding a hint, a metaphorical nudge the living man’s way- but either it was not picked up on, or simply ignored, as it always was. Randy sighed and shook his head, falling silent as he stared out of the airship's window and wondered how on earth Reginald had survived this long.


	3. Chapter 3

Reginald typed away at the keyboard in front of him, toning out Terrence’s voice as the long-dead man went on yet another tangent about how he had been a great leader, and how Reginald just haaad to have come along and ruin it. It’d gotten to the point where Reginald was sick and tired of it, but he hadn’t thought of anything to do about it- until a thought shot into his mind, making his fingers pause and a grin break out on his face.

“Listen here, Shit-uave. One of us is alive. The other’s a ghost who can’t even touch shit. Do you really want to continue this conversation?” Reginald’s voice held a mocking tone as he turned in his chair to stare the ghost directly in the eye, his exhausted face twisted into a shit-eating grin with raised eyebrows. Terrence let out an indignant shout and lounged at Reginald with extended hands, but as usual, he merely passed through the living man- sending a shudder through him but not wiping away that grin. 

“My point exactly. Now fuck off.” Reginald’s tone said the words were final as he turned back to his computer, resuming his typing and not sparing the incredibly angry ghost behind him a second glance. Terrence yelled for a few good minutes but, when he didn’t get a single response, he stormed out of the room with a huff. Reginald finally let himself relax in his chair once Terrence had fled, letting out a long, hopeless sigh. He let himself stay there for a few long moments, his tired eyes closed and his throbbing head resting back against his chair, before dragging himself up and once more resuming his work.


	4. Telling Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> {THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS IMPLICATIONS OF SELF-HARM HAPPENING OFF-SCREEN. PLEASE SKIP THIS CHAPTER IF SUCH CONTENT IS TRIGGERING TO YOU}

“You should really start taking better care of yourself, Reg.” Right murmured as he laid Reginald down into bed for what had to be the tenth time that month, a worried crease between his eyebrows and his mouth twisted into a deep frown. “You… weren’t like this before you became leader. Is the stress getting to you?” Reginald met the eyes of the ghostly figures crowding around Right, all of them desperately watching Reginald- worry, sorrow, and guilt showing on the semi-transparent faces of the past leaders.

“It's not the stress of being leader.” Reginald mumbled, looking away from Right and the ghosts alike and drawing his bandaged arms closer to his chest.

“The stress of what, then?” Right pushed gently, sitting down in bed beside Reginald and leaning forward to attempt to look him in the eyes.

“You wouldn’t believe me. No one ever does. They always just call me crazy, or act like I’m telling a joke. I’m not, but they won’t listen.”

“Reginald Copperbottom, I love you with every fiber of my being. I nearly gave my life for you, and would do it again in a heartbeat. I would do anything to make you happy, and calling you crazy or pretending a serious issue is a joke would be counterproductive in that goal.” Right retorted, his tone firm but filled with loving worry. Reginald swallowed heavily and drew in a deep breath before pulling away from the cyborg slightly, looking him in the eyes.

“I can see the ghosts of the late Toppat leaders before me. I can see and hear them and they can do the same to me. Some of them can interact with the living world better than others, and that includes touching me.” As soon as Reginald finished speaking, Right glanced around almost awkwardly, his gaze passing through the forms huddled behind him.

“I believe you, Reg. Are any of them in here right now?” As the cyborg spoke, he gently drew Reginald into his lap, making sure to be careful of his bandaged arms as he did so. The smaller of the two nodded and gently gestured to the group gathered beside his bed- Randy giving a small wave, though none of the other spirits reacted. Right turned his gaze to where his leader had gestured, giving a respectful nod despite not being able to see the ghostly forms.

“Randy, Wilford, Cloudface, and Dusty. Terrence and Reynaldo were here, but they left a bit before you came in. All of the leaders we have portraits for roam around, usually staying in whatever base they stayed in when they were alive.” Reginald explained quietly, hiding his face in the cyborg’s organic shoulder while clinging onto the front of his shirt. “They try to help, they really do- and they do help a lot- but there’s only so much they can do, and the added stress of trying to figure out how to let them move on… it builds up.”

“That makes sense. I’m glad that you trusted me with this information, Reg. Will you let me help you from here on out? Two heads trying to figure out everything would be better than one, and even if that’s your task alone, I can take up some of the paperwork side of things to give you a bit more time.” Reginald opened his mouth to protest, only to feel the burning gazes of the four around him just daring him to try to turn down the offer. After a few moments, he gave in and buried his face deeper into Right’s shoulder, tightening his grip slightly.

“...Fine. I’ll let you help. I love you.” 

“Thank you, Reg. I love you too.”


End file.
